diff --git a/searx/webutils.py b/searx/webutils.py
index bfc6b22f7..8cdcab84b 100644
--- a/searx/webutils.py
+++ b/searx/webutils.py
@@ -290,10 +290,8 @@ def highlight_content(content, query):
         if len(qs) > 0:
             queries.extend(re.findall(regex_highlight_cjk(qs), content, flags=re.I | re.U))
     if len(queries) > 0:
-        for q in set(queries):
-            content = re.sub(
-                regex_highlight_cjk(q), f'<span class="highlight">{q}</span>'.replace('\\', r'\\'), content
-            )
+        regex = re.compile("|".join(map(regex_highlight_cjk, queries)))
+        return regex.sub(lambda match: f'<span class="highlight">{match.group(0)}</span>'.replace('\\', r'\\'), content)
     return content
 
 
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_webutils.py b/tests/unit/test_webutils.py
index 244d2b180..b4395539b 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_webutils.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_webutils.py
@@ -57,6 +57,11 @@ class TestWebUtils(SearxTestCase):
                     ]
                 ),
             ),
+            (
+                'a class',
+                'a string with class.',
+                '<span class="highlight">a</span> string with <span class="highlight">class</span>.',
+            ),
         )
         for query, content, expected in data:
             self.assertEqual(webutils.highlight_content(content, query), expected)